Recent developments indicate that the future of a robust clean energy economy is closer than ever to becoming a reality, as innovation peaks and institutional investors pour money into clean technology finance. Major institutional investors, including Goldman Sachs, Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, Credit Suisse, Wells Fargo, Citi, and Berkshire Hathaway, are investing millions into renewable energy. Goldman Sachs, for instance, remains on track to meet its target of providing $40 billion for financing and investing in clean-technology companies over the next decade. One of Goldman Sachs’ companies of choice to finance is SolarCity in the US, a new company that installs solar systems and was named one of Fast Company‘s top ten most innovative companies in the world. On the market, investors are reaping the benefits of their shares in clean energy. During the month of September 2013, alternative energy mutual funds and exchange-traded funds not only exceeded the performance of the volatile energy sector on the whole — with four to five times the gains — but also brought in greater returns than every other sector. Over the course of the year, they have posted gains well above the market average. Research and development is also surging, showing the burgeoning rate of innovation that clean technology has sparked. Research by MIT and the Santa Fe Institute reveals that the number of patents issued for renewable-energy technologies has risen sharply over the last decade. The study shows that investments in research and development, as well as in the growth of markets for these products, have helped to spur dramatic growth in clean technology innovation.